The Lorebook
Within the halls of Humania’s palace holds an up-to-date book on everything you need to know about this fantasy realm. If you have the time, why not take a look? =Castles= The first section of the books describes castles in this realm. Some were once fortresses, some were always made to hold royalty. Others weren’t made to be either! Take a look, if you wish; it may fascinate you! Marigold Castle Marigold Castle was formed from nothing but the nature around it, and it resembles something close to a dirt mound surrounded by a human-sized garden. This would be the home of the kind and queen of the fairies. There isn’t really any openings for bigger creatures inside it; that credit goes Bellesea Palace. But the tiny thing suits the needs of the fairies, and hosts plenty of rooms for them. While the exterior looks like just a mound, the inside is finely furnished with things made from leaves, vines, even stray animal fur; the things that define a fairy by nature. Several doors lead out to the huge garden around them; which has a large oak tree in the center which serves as a lookout. It was built soon after the separation of territory, made from what was naturally there and with the help of the animals. The big oak was planted then; and over the years it’s grown to mark the home of the fairies. Only the fairies themselves know what’s in it, but they’re very open to what it is as there’s no secrets to hide. Calden's Keep Calden’s Keep sits above the A in Humania, or in other words, the north-eastern coast of Humania. It is named after the first human owner of the keep; Calden Henry. The original build of the keep is barely showing now; having been built originally for use of storing criminals and masterminds during wars. Almost all of it has been redesigned, but the large courtyards and vast underground dungeon stay the same. The architecture of the keep itself isn’t anything more than stone slapped together, which gives it the title of the least decorative castle compared to the others. The first room when you walk in is the throne room, followed by a series of hallways that lead to many different rooms, including the kitchen and the king’s bedroom. Calden’s Keep was built around fifty years before the First Treaty and the division of the land between the species, built as a barbarian prison area. It’s only fitting that the humans were the ones to get it; technically being inherited by Calden’s great-uncle after his death right before the signing of the First Treaty. It was the only castle that was—at least particularly-built before the First Treaty. Calden’s Keep hasn’t changed it’s name since, to honor the first leader of the humans. Bellesea Palace One might stumble open this beautiful palace when wondering the border of Lelyra Glades and Qeodia Forests, a sign of peace between the two species that has lasted longer than any other species; a bond which is still strong today. Bellesea Palace shares the best features of the two species; with beautiful architecture and carvings elves are known for, with the nature-y feeling that characterize the fairies. It resembles two large, intertwining trees, several of its “leaves” being large balconies that oversee parts of the land. There are two entrances; one on each border. The fairy’s entry is smaller than the elves’, but the inside is more elf-sized; with smaller rooms for the fairies, normally resembling bird houses or mouse holes. The grand hall in the center reaches up to the highest point, with a large stage stashed in the corner for a band. Bellesea Palace is known for its great balls exclusive to fairies and elves (although sometimes witches are invited; human royalty is sometimes invited as well but rarely show up). It was built during the Second Age, after the humans declared war on the elves. Both the fairies and the elves shared this common war enemy. It has stayed the symbol of their truce since, and no one has yet dared to try to break that fatal bond. Carsley's Fortress Wandering near the edge of Vroniel Hills, right beside the “V” on the map (or in other words, the west-most landmark in Vroniel Hills), is Carsley’s Fortress. It is named the very successful witch (and first ruler over the witches), Carsley Lilio. As far as architecture goes, the fortress focuses a bit more on what’s needed than what looks pretty. The outside is quite dreary and dead looking, with a few bushes with black-and-white flowers around it. The courtyard is big and hosts a stable for horses in the corner, but is otherwise bare. It’s built with bricks and stone slabs, though it looks much better than the human’s castle. Inside is close to the same story. Everything in it is kept to darker shades, complimenting the overall nature of the witches, dark plums and grays appearing a bit more frequently than other colors. Paintings hang on the walls, and along with small statues and a few vases of black roses, they decorate the whole of the fortress. There are no battle training areas, although there is a huge meeting room at the center; consisting of a long table and as many chairs as that table can fit. It’s were the council sits, and plain with the other species. It was built as soon as Carsley was given her share of the land for her people, focusing on a strong image. She left a large influence on the building and many paintings can be found of her throughout, and there even rests a memorial area in the courtyard for her and her pet raven. Elverston Fort Elverston Fort, otherwise know as Fort of the Elves or Elven Castle. It is given the honor of being the prettiest and most decorative palace of them all, mirroring the elves’ tendencies for details. On the map, it’s the south-most landmark. As stated above, this tree-surrounded fort is as beautiful and rich in architecture as they get. It tells of the elves’ great devotion for details and just their culture in general. A thick, lush growth of greenery like berry bushes and oak trees can be seen outside. The outside has millions of intricate designs carved into the walls and posts, telling a tale of their two major dieties, Qytar and Ketia. Inside is no different. There is a large banquet hall that no human has set foot in, with a large painted roof above that shows a scene of peace. Elverston Fort has made itself known for it’s many grand feasts and balls, and it’s capacity to hold at least half of it’s kingdom within its walls. Many tapestries hang in any room, from bedrooms to the grand hall to the dining room. A large field for archery practice sits outside, and below rests a dungeon for all the invaders to the kingdom. It was built the same time as everything else was, after the First Treaty. Although some add-ons, such as the archery field and dungeon, were added after humans broke the First Treaty. =Rivers & Lakes= The book also includes all of the major rivers and lakes, separated for reader convenience. Rivers Below is all of the important rivers. Shimmering Brook The Shimmering Brook is a shallow, thin, and long river that weaves through the forested area of the elven lands. It’s known to always have a little bit of ‘sunlight’ in it, no matter the time of day or weather. It’s a well-known and commonly used navigational landmark. Moonlit River The Moonlit River is calm and deep, mainly running through the elven lands but has some length in Humania and Lelyra Glades as well. It seems to begin and end at the Moonlit Observatory, one of the pride and joy's of the elven folk. Mainly, it’s the one area that the elves allow humans to pass through without much inspection. Anyone who gets easily sea-sick are able to ride by horse along the riverbank. Ethereal Stream The Ethereal Stream flows throughout all the land, the commonly accepted ‘starting point’ being the Mermaid Coast. It helps farmers in the farm lands, since it can flood easily and renew the soil. When it rains, it can kill a man who walks too close; when it’s sunny, it’s completely still save for a few frogs and fish. Lakes Below is all of the major lakes. Crystal Waters This lake is large and deep, good for fishing. It's located in Humania, slightly intruding on the neutral lands. Charmed Shallows Charmed Shallows is, you guessed it, shallow. It's also very still, so it's a good spot to just sit and relax and maybe splash around without fear of drowning. It's mainly in Lelyra Glades, but a bit overlaps the Mermaid Coast. However, no mermaids can swim in the shallow waters and the fairies enjoy flocking around the lake during the warmer months. Sparkling Cove Many believe the Sparkling Cove is in the Mermaid Coast. However, it's actually hidden in the farm area, and is famous for keeping the soil fertile. Eastern Lagoon The Eastern Lagoon is one of the most well-known lakes in all the land. Located in Mermaid Coast, it's connected directly to the eastern peninsula. Mermaids can be seen in bulk at this lake, and it's a great spot for boating tours as long as the boater is wary of the mermaids! =Schools= Along with everything above, the book also include popular and easily-recognized schools. Coral Coast Academy A mermaid-founded school that teaches all species ocean-related things like oceanology and marine biology. It serves as one of the best science ports in the area, giving it a place on the map as an important school. It is located right beside the "D" and "C" on the map, the northernmost star at Mermaid Coast. It doesn't really have anything to boast about, and is half-underwater to give everyone a full understanding on what it's like to live in the water. Sometimes it offers diving and swimming lessons, though it focuses more on the science branch of ocean work. The biggest study hall is completely underwater, with a large dome for the air that the other species needs. All throughout large tunnels for mermaids to swim through exist, and all around it hosts a large coral reef with that serves as a home for many different types of fish. Coral Coast Academy was built right after the Second Treaty, once the war ended and everyone was at peace again. Of course, the attendance dropped when the huge ship full of people crashed upon Mermaid Coast's shores, killing hundreds and giving suspicion to the residence of that area. That doesn’t stop scientists from meeting here, though, due to it's large size and capacity to fit millions. Moonlit Observatory Located at the northern-most landmark star in the Qeodia Forests. It’s known for for astronomy breakthroughs and discoveries. Although it’s not quite a school, it still boasts a nice learning program for all those stargazers. It truly tells the tale of elven architecture, large and decorative. Stories and starmaps are ingrained in the stones, and just about anyone looking at it will be breathless as they wonder how long it took to build. It’s more or less a dome, with a few rooms sticking out for things like conference halls or auditoriums. Many small telescopes run along the edges of the glass, the biggest one sitting in the center of them all and reserved for higher, richer guests. No one truly knows when it was built, exactly—not even the elves themselves. Many believe it was far before the species were civilized, with newer, more advanced additions being made when treaties formed and the species became united. Meadowsong Institute Found at the south-most landmark star in Lelyra Glades, Meadowsong Institute is a place for all species to learn about the world’s flora and fauna. Despite most of the teachers being fairies, the school itself is just about the size of an average human school. It appears to be made from things in the glade, overall looking beautiful as one sees the vines and flowers that grow along the walls. There are several “bird houses” for the fairy-only parts of the school, and outside there’s a large area much like a zoo for close observation of the animals. On the other side, there’s a garden that, to most, appears wildly overgrown, but really just has many different types of plants in it. The fairies had made it themselves in the more recent years, during the Magical Solution times; something to teach everyone about nature and all that it can do for them. Soon after it was built, many younger witches came to further expand their knowledge on plants. Many humans were normally dragged by their parents; whereas elves came to better care for the animals. Fortune Province One of the most popular schools out there for all species of all grades, Fortune Province focuses on giving everyone an equal and wonderful education. Located to the left of the “I” in Centuar Isles—the southern-most landmark star—it boasts the great minds that were crafted here. It’s large, and could almost be mistaken for looking like a castle. Only half of the ground that makes up the school is technically the school; the rest belongs to the large courtyard and the dorms—after all, anyone here has taken at least a day to get here. The doors and archways are tall, to fit the centaurs; being the main teachers of the school. There are tinier passageways as well, for those littler students and teachers. Fortune Province really was built with every species in mind, and they turn down next to no one. It was built at the beginning of the Current Age, or to be more accurate, just at the end of the Rebuilding stage of the Third Age. Just that alone marks it as the newest school to be one of the most popular, even if one were to ignore the charts pointing how attendance was high in only a year’s worth of time. =Other Landmarks= As to be expected, the book also contains other geographical wonders and important monuments. Temple of Qytar and Ketia Commonly known as the Temple of Light and Dark, the Temple of Qytar and Ketia is a shrine dedicated to all the elven gods and goddesses; despite only sharing the name of the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness. As per usual with elven architecture, there’s a story told throughout the walls. A great battle between light and dark; and even the creation of the forests themselves. It’s kind of humble-looking—being just a few walls, more than a couple pillars, and a carved gemstone in the element’s respective color and type (for example, aquamarine for water, ruby for fire, diamond for light, or obsidian for dark). Many vines have made their home here, but the elves are sure to make sure that they don’t take over this sacred area. It’s been around longer than anyone can remember, though rough estimates assume that it was far before the elves were even completely “civilized.” The elves haven’t let any other species into this place, though many of them who have been there give vivid enough descriptions for humans to teach their young about. Vemsin's Tower Located south of the “H” in Vroniel Hills, Vemsin’s Tower can seen for miles; standing as the ultimate testing grounds for young witches to prove themselves worthy, and to move on to the next step of training—or for their final, magical exams around the age of eighteen years. It looks like any normal tower; tall and large, with a pointy roof. The walls are smooth, so climbing up isn’t an option. Some say it has a magical barrier around it, put on by the evil Vemsin himself; really it’s just the witches’ way of making sure their young don’t cheat their way out. The only entrance is at the bottom, and there are many rooms filled with many different scenarios for each kind of magic. At the top awaits a stone statue, in which the witches must recite spells chosen at random in order to pass the test. Much like all other important buildings, Vemsin’s Tower was built a long, long time ago; even before the witches officially took that land as their own. The first witch village was built around it, and the forgotten remains of the ancient town can still be seen today. Sanctuary of Hope This landmark is found below Humania’s “a” on the map. It was built as a grave and memorial to a mysterious healer who helped aid the humans in the Second Age. A graveyard has been build around the sanctuary and everyone is allowed to enter. The sanctuary itself is massively huge and ornate, mimicking the beauty elves and fairies can create with just twigs and leaves. It’s a stone structure, like a house, with a large thatched roof that’s just barely holding together. Shrine of Tragedy In the southern peninsula of Mermaid Coast, there is a memorial for a crash that happened in the Third Age. The boat was massive, holding hundreds of people. Most of those people did not make the trip back to shore. The crash is widely blamed on the mermaids in the area, who are known for distracting young men who stray from shore. This has never been proven, and as such, there is no way to know for certain who to blame. The Timeless Meadow This landmark is the place where elves and fairies made the truce in the Second Age. It retains an ancient aura, and most fairies and elves say they can feel their ancestors wandering among them. The meadow is a famous spot for Second Age war veterans that died during or after the war itself, holding a few graves within it’s hedge-fenced area. The largest are the graves for the fairy and elf who made the truce, and are considered nearly as revered as their gods. Fairy Stables Fairies are a crafty bunch, as the Fairy Stables further acknowledges. Inside the walls, fairies raise, breed, and train a large range of animals, most of which are much larger than the inches-tall fairies. They are sold to any of the other species, for any good or pure use. =History= The final entry of the book contains history for the lands. First Ages The First Ages were by no means peaceful, and it marked the beginning of the land as well as the Cold War. It’s arguably the best example of how the beginning of things affect everything thereafter. Before the Treaty Before the Treaty and division of land, humans searched the land. They prized the magical creature’s powers, their magnificent and otherworldly features, and they killed just for bragging rights. Whether it was elves, fairies, mermaids, dragons, centaurs, the humans considered them all game. Usually the more magical creatures were kept as slaves; dragons were killed for their hard scales while fairies were kept to fasten plant growth. Hybrids were extremely rare and forbidden; it usually led to the whole family being killed for a sort of treason. Magical creatures and humans alike wandered in tribes or clans. While humans were usually grouped with family or close friends soon to be family, magical creatures grouped together according to their elemental alignment or skill in magic. First Treaty and Division of Land After nearly 100 years of killing of innocents, a small group of every magical creature—human- and animal-like included—came together to discuss peace. One of every aligned element, one of every level of magic, most of them being old but a few bright young ones. They came together, in the sake of their beloved gods, and formed a draft of the First Treaty. They convinced their fellows of their respective species, and most agreed. The groups of magical creatures became the first leaders, and divided the land according to the general population and needs of the species. Cold War Begins When the human monarchy died 30 years after the Treaty, the humans began to question why they were using the same terms as the elves and fairies and witches and all the other magical creatures. Another human monarchy soon the semi-established throne, and began a Cold War towards the more human-like magical beings. Second Ages The Second Ages consist of war. It lasted for 200 years. Hybrids were killed on sight, but their families were spared. Battle Between Humans and Elves The humans and elves went to war, guns against crossbows, knives against spears. The elves weren’t new to fighting, and the humans weren’t used to their ‘prey’ fighting back. It seemed like an easy victory on both sides, but it continued for fifty years, a whole generation, until the humans threatened the fairies. Alliance Between Fairies and Elves The fairies and elves found themselves at an agreement. The humans were pesky, many, and already semi-advanced in technology. The two species formed a truce, built Bellesea Palace, and forged an alliance that has yet to break. They fought the humans before the magicless beings made another major move that caused the whole world into war. When Everyone Fought Alliances were forged. The more human-like creatures took the human’s side. The more magical creatures joined the elves and fairies. Metal against magic was one of the worst ways to fight, the sides discovered. Witches, caught in the fray despite not being near any warring species, tried to stay out of it, although a few chose sides at their expense. Death Of Hundreds The war continued for another 148 years, hundreds laying down their lives in worthless combat. Some people forgot what they were fighting for, who they were fighting for. Others snuck through borders, curious of the forbidden lands. Eventually, the crossfire stopped and the species decided on a date to discuss peace. The Second Treaty While it’s extremely rare, you may come across a dragon or some other extended-lifespan creature who had been there when the Second Treaty was signed. They would’ve been young, much too young to remember, but most take pride in it. Like in the signing of the First Treaty, each gathered and elected official of every element and level of magic signed the treaty. This is the Treaty that is still used today. Third Age The Third Age is the only one that didn’t possess a war, but it did possess unrest and pain to many. Only the wealthiest were well fed and cared for, and even then it wasn’t by our definition of “well fed.” Droughts And Unrest All throughout the Third Age, Humania and many other human homes were cursed with spoiling soil and constant droughts. The farm lands was completely wasted, and most of the giants and other creatures living there fled. Humania threatened to invade the glades, forests, and hills if the humans couldn’t enter fully. The fairies, elves, and witches complied, not wanting another war on their hands so quickly. Crash on the Mermaid Coast To ease the troubled minds of everyone, a group of mermaids and water-aligned creatures invited hundreds aboard a fancy ship. It didn’t go far, however, until it mysteriously crashed. Most of the people on the ship—including the captain and staff—were either dead or horribly injured. The crash is widely blamed on the dark-aligned mermaids in the area, often referred to as sirens, but no proof has been shown to allow any action. Magical Solution Witches, elves, and fairies decided to help the humans after fifty years of drought. The majority agreed, although a few still opposed the magicless beings. With their combined magic, the monarchs and several high- and low-ranking water-aligned citizens of all three species cured the drought and brought a small flood. Earth-aligned fairies and elves helped the plants grow. During this time, some elves and fairies made temporary homes in the farm lands and Humania, and those families are still there, having grown used to the uniqueness of un-magicked land and homes. Rebuilding After the mini-flood, Humania and the farm lands were rebuilt with the help of elves, who made it a bit fancier than before. A few elven families stayed in Humania, which led to a slight increase in hybrids and large increase in elven-human marriages. The Second Treaty was revised and announced to allow this more openly although a few still apposed it. Current Age The Current Age - or the Fourth Age, as many scholars call it - has lasted for fifty years thus far. It’s somewhat peaceful, but the past still affects the present. In general, many fantasy creatures dislike humans and often stereotype them as stupid, unlikely, and greedy beings. Others, however, respect the humans and other species, to some extend. Raid of the Thousands When word spread of a raid on fairy land, many assumed it was the humans who issued the threat. However, it was a large group of goblins, one of the lesser known creatures. A small war raged on for ten years, elves and humans siding with the small fairies with promise of a reward. Many died, but soon the goblins got what they wanted and left the tiny kingdom in disarray. Memorial on the Mount Weeks after the raid, a memorial service began for those who lost their lives. Some goblins even showed up, those who did not want the raid to occur. Many mourned, even those who had not lost anyone. A truly dazzling light display was shown in honor of the lost ones. Current Days Forty years later is where the present day lands us. Humania is a marvel in tech, but not overly-advanced. Dragons have shown up more frequently than before. Fairies can be seen with tiny sparklers during summer nights, being often mistaken for fireflies. Elves continue their forest-dwelling. Witches continue to cast spells that alter the landscape slightly or changes the weather. While some conflict still remains, such as most magical creature’s hesitance to trust humans, most days are peaceful and uneventful. It’s unclear what the future holds, however, and anything might happen. For more information on the cultures of the creatures, the top navigation ^ can help you! Under every species’s page is a “Culture” or “Way of Life/How They Live” section. This is based off of traditional fantasy and this wiki’s lore. Category:Help Page